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CABLE RAILWAY PROPULSION. 

W. W. HANSCOM, M. E., 

Member Technical Society of the 
Pacific Coast. 

SAN FRANCISCO. CALIFORNIA. 















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TECHNICAL SOCIETY OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 

\ INSTITUTED APRIL, 1884. 


Note.— This Society is not responsible, as a body, for the facts and opinions advanced in 
any of its publications. 

CABLE RAILWAY PROPULSION. 

By W. W. Hanscom, M. E., M. Tech. Soc. 

Read June 6, 1884. 


[COPYRIGHT BY THE AUTHOR.] 


Mr. President and Gentlemen— In presenting for your con¬ 
sideration a paper on Cable Railway Propulsion, I must premise 
X my remarks by the statement that the subject is so comparative¬ 

ly new in its practical results, and so little has been done in the 
development of the system outside of San Francisco and Chicago, 
that we have but little of the experience of others which has 
been published upon which to rely for the collection of data. 
The subject matter of this paper will be mainly a collection of 
such facts and experiences as have come almost directly under 
my own observation, and such conclusions as I have arrived at 
are from the grouping together and endeavoring to find from 
these facts what constitutes some of the more important condi¬ 
tions connected with the construction and operation of cable 
railways. 

The record which I have of the great number of persons who 
have directed their attention to this mode of propulsion of cars 
at once shows that the subject is not new, and that it has only 
waited until the particular time and conditions should arrive 
f . when it would be practically developed. This time arrived and 
the conditions were propitious, when the Clay Street Hill Cable 
Road was built, and from the time at which this experiment 
passed into the domain of practical and commercial success an 
increased interest has been manifested in the pecuniary results 





2 


Ha?iscom on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


to be attained, in comparison with the hauling of street cars by 
horses, and I need not enumerate the list of inventors whose 
patents have a bearing on this subject, and number several hun¬ 
dred, but pass directly to the features of the cable roads con¬ 
structed and operated in our city. 

In the construction of the Clay Street Hill Road, it was nec¬ 
essary to observe the strictest economy, as it was an experiment, 
or at least so considered by those inteiested, and consequently 
it was left to further experience to determine,'in case of success, 
what should be the character and kind of material and workman¬ 
ship to be adopted in the construction of additional cable roads. 

In observing the condition of the street along which this road 
was to be constructed, it was found that it consisted almost en¬ 
tirely of grades, except at the crossings, which were level. 
These grades being in some places as steep as 1 in 6 ^, and the 
steep grades made a sharp angle when leaving the level cross¬ 
ings, with curves of very small radius connecting the various 
changes from grade to level and from level to grade. The street 
was straight, so that there was only vertical and no lateral de¬ 
flection. This was the serious matter, as in leaving a level cross¬ 
ing for a steep upward grade, the strain on the cable would 
bring it upward and through the slot of the tube made for the 
connecting bar between the car and the rope. Consequently it 
would require a sheave above the cable to keep it down at these 
points, so that while sheaves were used to support the cable 
when the weight and strain were downward, they were also 
required at certain points to counteract the upward strain, and 
whatever arrangement or apparatus might be used to correct the 
cable with the car, that part which clasped the cable must pass 
above the sheaves placed under the cable to support it and must 
also pass under the sheaves which were placed above the cable 
at points which were required to be kept down. These sheaves 
therefore must be at such distance apart, vertically, in reference 
to each other and the track (over which the wheels of the car 
which carried the gripping apparatus were to run) that when the 
car would be immediately over one of the sheaves which was 
under the cable, that the bottom parts which clasped the cable 
would be some little distance above the sheave, so that a slight 


Hanscom on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


3 


variation of the car or gripping apparatus in hight would not 
bring the grip and sheave in contact. Also when the car is 
directly over a sheave which is above the cable to keep it down, 
the top of the part which clasps the cable must be a sufficient 
distance below the sheave that it will not touch iu passing. In 
order that these requirements may be met, the vertical part of 
the gripping apparatus which passes upward through the slot of 
the tube and connects with the car, must be so located that it 
will pass to one side of the sheave above the cable, and this is 
arranged by projecting the part which clasps the cable sideways 
from the vertical part, which is shown by the drawing. 



It will be seen that when the cable is held in the clasp, (or, as 
they are called, the jaws of the grip,) it is lifted above its normal 
position in the groove of the lower sheaves, and also that it is 
carried down away from the sheave, which is used to keep the 
cable down where sharp angles occur at upward change of grade. 






















4 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion . 


This drawing shows the upward tendency of the cable in cross¬ 
ing a street and going up a grade; it being lifted from the lower 
or carrying sheave and brought up against the under side of the 
top or depression sheave. 

This accedes to the conditions so far as a line is concerned, 
when there are no horizontal deflections occurring, and there 
are none on the Olay Street Hill Road. 




Fig. 2. 


The form and size of the gripping arrangement being deter¬ 
mined upon, such space between the lower and upper sheaves 
must be allowed that the grip will easily clear each, and some 
additional clearance space for variations which may occur in the 
hight of the grip by the wear of the wheels, or variations in the 
level of the track in reference to the tube, added. Then the di¬ 
ameter of the sheaves being fixed, this fixes the depth of the 
tube, and the width will be fixed by the width of the grip and 
sheaves and necessary clearance. 

In constructing the Clay Street Road, wood was used to a 
large extent. Cast iron frames were made to conform to the de¬ 
sired cross-section of the tube, and placed about three feet apart, 
they having ribs cast on them so that planks two inches thick 






Hanscom on Cable Railway Propulsion . 


5 


could be laid from one to another, and held in position by the 
ribs, thus forming a tube of wood with supporting ribs of cast 
iron. 



Ties extend laterally from these cast iron ribs, upon the outer 
ends of which are placed stringers which carry the rails. The 
castings, as shown, are open at the top, so that the vertical part 
of the grip may pas3 through, and close on each side of this 
opening, extending from one casting to another, are short car¬ 
lines, which are bolted at each end to the casting, thus keeping 
them at the proper distance apart and maintaining them in 
proper position. On top of these, and extending over several of 
the castings, are laid wood scantlings, which form the slot, and 
to protect the top from wear are placed iron straps fastened to 
the scantlings by wood screws. The surface of the roadway be¬ 
tween the slots and the rails on each side is formed of wood 
plank, as shown. This forms the general construction of the 
tube from one end of the road to the other, except at the point 
where the cable is made to enter the engine house to be con¬ 
nected with the driving machinery. 

Along the straight portions of the tube the lower sheaves are 
about nine inches in diameter; those above the cable being about 



































6 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


seven inches, as it was considered necessary to keep the distance 
between the surface of the street and the upper, enlarged part 
of the tube as small as consistent with strength to support the 
traffic of vehicles on the street, and also that the distance be¬ 
tween the cable and the part of the car from which projects 
downward the vertical bar or shank (which has the grip on its 
lower end) shall be the minimum. 

At the ends of the road are placed large sheaves, around which 
the cable passes to return, there being four tracks and two tubes, 
and the diameter of these large sheaves, which are placed with 
the axes vertical, is equal to the distance between the centers of 
the two tubes or sets of tracks, which is about eight feet. Expe¬ 
rience in the use of wire cables had shown that where the cable 
makes any great change of direction, as a right angle or more, 
and even much less, the diameter of a sheave over which the cable 
passes should be about 100 times the diameter of the cable. In 
this road the cable was a little less than one inch in diameter, 
and the sheave about ninety-six inches. In order that the cars 
might be transferred from one track to the other at the end of 
the route, two turn-tables are arranged, the diameter of each 
being a little less than the distance between the centers of the 
two sets of tracks, each turn-table having two rails across it, 
equidistant from the center. These two tables are geared to¬ 
gether, so that by turning one through an angle of ninety de¬ 
grees the two sets of tracks will be brought in line with each 
other, and a car which had previously been brought from one of 
the lines of rails on to the table, can be pushed on to the other 
table, and then, by reversing the movement of the tables, the 
tracks are brought in line with the main line, and the car can 
then be moved on the opposite track, and on its return journey. 

In transferring ordinary cars from one track to another, the 
tables would be simple plates placed on central pivots, and sup¬ 
porting rolls around the circumference; but the car which car¬ 
ries the griping apparatus and is called the dummy, having the 
shank of the grip projecting downward and through the slot into 
the tube, would in this case have to be raised out of the tube to 
allow the dummy to go on the turn-table. This operation would 
not only require time but the expenditure of considerable labor. 
That these might be avoided, the table was constructed of two 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


7 


parts, an upper and lower plate connected together by ribs or 
ties. The top plate has a slot across its diameter, and the space 
between the upper and bottom plate will allow the lower portion 
of the grip to pass through—the ties between the two plates 
being far [enough apart for the grip to pass through without 
touching. Now, as shown before, by revolving the tables one- 
quarter way round, the slots, through the upper surface of the 
plates, are brought in line with each other, and the dummy can, 
with its grip, be pushed from one table to the other, and so on 
to the other line of rails. 













There is still oue other requirement, and that is, that the cable 
shall also pass through the table, so that the dummy may be 
drawn on to the table and then dropped, and in order that this 
may be effected, the cable is carried through the table and some 
convenient distance beyond, before passing around the large 
sheave. Now the connection between the upper and lower plates 
of the turn-table must be so located that the table may be re¬ 
volved through one-quarter of a circle without bringing this con¬ 
nection in contact with the cable, which is continually moving 
through. 








































8 


Hans com o?i Cable Railway Propulsion. 


A is a plan of the turn table. 

B is a vertical section at a right angle to the slot which divides 
the top plate. 

C is a vertical section in line with the slot through the top, 
and shows the manner in which the ties between the two plates 
are arranged so as to allow the cable to pass freely through when 
the table is turned so as to allow the car or dummy to pass from 
one table to the other. 

As the large sheave at the end of the route lies in a horizontal 
position, or nearly so, a large pit or chamber is required, and the 
covering of this must be of sufficient strength to sustain any 
traffic which may pass over it, as it may be in the middle of the 
street; therefore, the thickness of this cover, and the fact that 
the axis or shaft of the sheave is vertical, it requires journal- 
bearings, both top and bottom, and this, added to the thickness 
of the cover, will carry the groove of the sheave some distance 
below the line of the cable in the tube, so that the cable at the 
point of leaving the tube to enter the chamber containing the 
large sheave will be deflected downward over a sheave somewhat 
larger than those supporting the cable in the tube, say 30 inches 
in diameter. 



Fig. 5. 


This large sheave is carried on a frame having wheels which 
run on a track prepared for it and of such a length that it may 
have a movement of 10 feet or more. A chain attached to the 













Hans corn on Cable Railway Propulsion. 9 

end of this frame or carriage passes over a sheave at the rear end 
of the chamber and has a weight attached which maintains a 
tension on the cable passing around the large sheave, and will 
take up any stretch that may occur in the cable, and yet in case 
of excessive strain will yield and prevent rupture of the cable. 
A similar arrangement is at each end of the road. 

At the point where the cable enters the engine-house the cable 
is deflected vertically over two sheaves eight feet in diameter, 
and thence at right angles to a horizontal direction, when they 
enter the engine-room, passing over a driving drum; thence over 
an idle sheave; thence over the driving drum again and back¬ 
ward to a sheave under the street, under which it passes and up¬ 
ward over a second sheave to the direction of and into the tube, 
when it continues on its route. These sheaves and driving drum 
are all eight feet in diameter. The driving drum is geared to 
the engine so that the cable has a speed of 528 feet per minute, 
or six miles per hour. There are 11,000 feet of cable employed 
in one piece, and it makes a total revolution over its route in 
about 21 minutes. 

In changing the cars at the ends of the road the dummy is 
disconnected from the car and first transferred, then the car 
follows and is connected again to the dummy, and the train is 
ready to start so soon as the cable has been taken into the grip. 
This grip is so constructed that the cable is admitted between 
the jaws from the bottom side, and, as by opening the jaws the 
cable falls out, dropping away from the grip down into the car¬ 
rying sheaves under the cable, it becomes necessary, in order to 
get the cable within the jaws again, either to raise the cable or 
to lower the jaws until they shall have brought the cable within 
them, and then raise the grip, bringing up the cable to such a 
hight that the bottom of the grip will sufficiently clear the 
sheaves. This grip is so constructed, that by a hollow screw at 
the top passing through a nut, which is supported by a frame 
and encircled by a hand wheel, the turning of the nut will 
lower the hollow screw, and with it the gripping jaws, until they 
are low enough to take the cable, when the jaws are partially 
closed, so that while they will prevent the cable from dropping 
down it will still freely pass through and not draw the train un- 


10 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


til sufficient pressure is put upon it, which is done by means of 
a screw drawing a wedge between a frame and a bar, thus forcing 
the jaws against the cable with any desired force, the power by 
this arrangement being as 480 to 1; in other words, one pound 
applied to the screw by the man operating the grip gives a press¬ 
ure of 480 pounds on the cable, less the friction of the moving 
parts. 

That the cable may be spared abrasion in moving through 
the jaws of the grip when the dummy is standing still and the 
cable passing along, four rolls, having their circumferences 
grooved to suit the rope, are so arranged that they are a little in 
advance of the jaws and support the cable before the jaws come 
in contact with it. A spring is placed behind these rolls, so that 
they may yield when the jaws are brought together to grip the 
cable. 

The cars are of such size that they will seat 14 persons, and 
weigh, unloaded, 2,800 pounds each; the dummies weigh 2,850 
pounds each, and have seats upon them for 16 passengers. 

As this road was extended after having been in operation 
about five years, some changes were made in the construction of 
the tube and in the cast-iron frame, which was extended lateral¬ 
ly, so that it now comes under and supports the rails, and has 
its base extending the same distance, the web being perforated 
in the centre to the shape of the tube, and also openings between 
the central, and each side-ribs or flanges being formed all around 
the openings and the outside of the frame. The tube in the 
extension is formed of concrete, and as it passes through the open¬ 
ings of the frame it forms a monolithic structure the length of 
the road to which this mode of construction is applied. The 
slot is formed by channel irons six inches deep, with two-inch 
angles top and bottom bolted to the casting, and wood carlines 
are placed from frame to frame only to support the wood plank 
which forms the street surface between the rails. 


Hanscom on Cable Railway Propulsion . 


11 



Fig. 6. 

I have thus stated generally the most important features of 
construction in the Clay Street Hill Road, and in referring to 
the other roads will only allude to the more prominent condi¬ 
tions which involve changes in construction and operation, when 
they vary from the Clay Street Road. The next 
road to be operated by cable in this city was the 
Sutter Street Road, which had been operated by 
horses, lut in 1876 was converted to a cable road. 

The more prominent change was in tbe construc¬ 
tion of the gripping apparatus, which was arranged 
so that the jaws which take and hold the cable are 
moved vertically, so that the cable enters between 
the jaws of the grip from the side instead of from 
the bottom, as does the one in use by the Clay 
Street Road. These are distinguished from each 
other by the direction from which the cable enters 
the jaws. That of the Clay Street entering from 
tbe bottom is called a “ bottom grip,” and that of 
tbe Sutter Street entering from tbe side is called a 

side-grip.” 

The side-grip is so constructed that it cannot 
be lowered like the Clay Street grip to take the 
cable, but has a fixed position when placed on 
the dummy. As the cable will normally lie di¬ 
rectly under the jaws of the grip, either the jaws Fig. 7. 












































12 


Hanscom on Cable Railway Propulsio7i. 


or the cable must be moved sidewise to allow the cable to be 
brought up to a height which will allow it to enter the open 
jaws of the grip. As the readiest means of accomplishing the 
raising the cable, a sheave is so placed in the tube that the 
cable will be raised by it to a height corresponding to the open¬ 
ing of the jaws; but as without lateral movement of the grip it 
would strike the sheave, the rails and iron forming the slot are 
deflected, to carry the dummy and with it the grip to one side 
sufficiently to pass the sheave, and immediately again the track 
and slot is deflected into its normal direction, thereby bringing 
the opening of the jaws over the cable before the cable has 
sagged or dropped sufficiently to prevent it entering the grip. 

In the later constructions of the grip, the points at which it is 
supported on the car are so arranged that it may vibrate from 
this point laterally, so that the dummy need not be carried bod¬ 
ily sidewise; therefore only the irons forming the slot are de¬ 
flected. Wherever it is desired to let the rope out of the grip 
and take it up again the road is formed in this way, these points 
having been determined upon in advance. 





Fig. 8. 


The plan for switching from one track to the other is different 
from that in use on Clay street. A tube is constructed leading 
across from one main tube to the other, and, following the 
curve of the rails which transfer the car and dummy from one 
main track to the other, the tubes are joined at the point of in¬ 
tersection. The slots of the tubes join similarly, and a tongue 
is placed at the junction of the two slots to cover the large open¬ 
ing into the tube at this point, and is also used to direct the 
shank of the grip into the proper slot. 




















Hanscom 071 Cable Railway Propulsion. 


13 


These dummies and cars are not turned round in the operation 
of switching, as by the method by turn tables on Clay street, so 
that the cable lies on the same side of the tube, or rather the 
same side of the slot, in both of the main tubes. Of course, in 
switching or passing from one main tube to the other the rope 
is dropped from the grip, and as the dummy passes on to the 
main line the cable is brought up so that the grip may run on to 
it, as before described. At points where the car and dummy are 
transferred through a switch it is necessary to have a falling 
grade, so that, after dropping, the cable, gravity may assist in 
carrying the dummy through the switch and on to the other main 
line. Where the street is officially level, latitude has been al¬ 
lowed the cable companies to make a grade to suit their desires. 

At the point where the cables enter and leave the engine-house 
there is an intervening space between the two large sheaves 
which deflect the cable from and into the tube and engine house. 
The cable is dropped from the grip just before reaching, these 
sheaves, and a slight grade is given the street in the direction in 
which the car is moving, so that the car and dummy will start 
themselves or be carried over by gravity. 

The driving drums are different from those in use on Clay 
street, where the drum has clips on its periphery in principle of 
action like Fowler’s for driving wire ropes; while in Sutter street 
there are two single grooved drums in Hne with each other, one 
being slightly higher than the other. 



These are so placed that the cable coming in from the street 
will lead fairly on to the highest, which is in the rear, or farthest 
from the street. Passing around this, the cable is led forward 
and up, over, around and down under both of the drums form- 


















14 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


ing the figure eight nearly. Thence the cable goes backward 
and around a vertical sheave, which is carried by a carriage 
which can be moved on ways or rails provided for it. After 
passing around this latter sheave it goes forward again over the 
two driving sheaves or drums to the sheave in the street, by 
which it is again deflected into the tube. 

The movable sheave around which the cable passes before 
reaching the street is arranged with a chain and weight, so that 
a definite amount of tension can be placed upon the cable, pro¬ 
portionate to its size and the work it has to do. This road has 
one other feature not in the Clay street road. That is, horizon¬ 
tal curves. The Larkin street cable passing a right angle from 
Polk into Post and from Post into Larkin and back again on the 
return track for deflecting the cable around these curves, which are 
from 40 to 50 feet radius; a series of horizontal pulleys, having 
no groove—but straight faces with a flange on the lower edge, are 
placed on the inner side of the curve about three feet apart, so 
that the deflection from one pulley to the next is slight. These 
pulleys are about 20 inches in diameter, and are set in iron cases 
which carry the bearings for the upper and lower journals of the 
upright spindles or shafts. The cable runs against the faces of 
these pulleys and they are set far enough to one side of the slot 
so that the grip in moving along would easily pass them; but to 
avoid positive contact between the grip and these pulleys, a bar 
of iron is placed around the curve, just above and a little in 
advance of the face of the pulleys, and, at a point on the shank 
of the grip, which would come opposite this bar, is placed a 
piece of iron called a wearing piece, which, being made smooth, 
comes in contact with and slides along the bar, thus keeping the 
jaws of the grip from contact with the pulleys. 

The method of applying power to the grip used on this road 
is by a long lever, the short arm of which forms one part or 
joint of the knuckle or toggle lever, while the power is applied 
on the Clay street grip by means of a screw, or rather to a nut 
working on a screw, the nut being enclosed in and fastened to 
the hub of a hand wheel. 

The construction of the tube for this road was originally 
similar to that first used on the Clay street, that is cast iron 


Hanscom on Cable Railway Propulsion . 


15 


frames and a tube of wood, but later the construction of the tube 
has been made by the use of wrought iron frames reaching to 
and supporting the rails, and making a skeleton tie for the rails, 
slot irons and tube, which latter is formed of concrete. 

The California street road, which was the next one built after 
the Sutter street, is similar in its conditions to the Clay street, 
but having some steeper grades, and as it was intended for 
heavier traffic a larger cable was used, being one and one-quarter 
inches in diameter. 

The tube is constructed of a frame of wrought-iron, reaching 
out and supporting the rails, which was copied in the later con¬ 
struction of portions of the Sutter street road above alluded to. 
In the case of the California street road, however, the main 
element of the wrought-iron works was made of old rails. 



At the location of the engine house, ground area being limited, 
the driving drums for the cable were placed under the street, 
one under and in line with the center of each track. The drums 
are the same as those used on Sutter street. Tension sheaves 
are used, the cable passing over them both before going onto 
the driving drums and after leaving them, and before passing 
into the tube. The action of these tension sheaves was by 
gravity, but instead of having a weight attached to the movable 
carriage which carries the sheave, the track on which the car¬ 
riage runs in this case is on an incline, so that gravity acts di¬ 
rectly upon the carriage and sheave. The carriage is so con¬ 
structed that weight may be added as desired in a boxed part. 




















1G 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


Switches are used at the termini for transferring cars and 
dummies from one track to another, a tube being used for the 
grip to pass through the same as on the Sutter street road. The 
grip used is the same as on Sutter street, that is a “ side ” grip. 

The Geary street road is similar in general conditions to the 
Sutter street, except that it has no curves, the road being straight 
from end to end, and the angles at the changes of grade are so 
slight that no depression sheaves are used to keep the cable 
down. 

The grip used on this road is a “bottom” grip, but is operated 
by a lever applying the principle of the toggle joint. 

The cars are transferred at one end of the road by a switch 
like Sutter and California streets, but at the other by a turn¬ 
table. The turn-table being of a diameter sufficient to hold one 
car is placed with its center of revolution in a line with the 
center of the out-going track. The incoming track is curved, 
and the straight portion running onto the turn-table forms an 
angle with the out-going track of about 30 degrees. This econo¬ 
mizes space, and dispenses with the second table as used on 
Clay street. The driving drums in use on this road for moving 
the cable are different from any other road, there being two, and 
each having several concentric grooves so that the cable is passed 
around the two drums until a sufficient number of wraps are 
made to prevent slip. In this case, no tension sheaves are used 
to give adhesions to the cable around the drum. Tour or five 
wraps of the cable are all that is necessary. The tension sheaves, 
for taking up the stretch and slg,ck of the cable are on movable 
carriages, and are drawn backward by a long’ screw. 

The Union street or Presidio and Ferries road has the steepest 
grades of any road in the city, and has one horizontal curve, 
where the line passes from Montgomery Avenue to Union street. 
In this case, the cables are led away from the curve of the track, 
passing around large horizontal sheaves to change the direction 
of the cable from one street to the other, and the grades at the 
curve have been so modified, that the cable having been let out 
of the grip, the train passes the curve by its momentum, assisted 
somewhat by gravity. 

The driving drums are the same as used on Clay street; also 
the grip. 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 17 

The transferring of cars and dummies at the termini are by 
switches, turn-tables being used only at the engine house for 
turning the cars on and off the road. 

The Market street road, the latest built, has some features 
different from all others. The construction of the entire rail¬ 
road bed is the same as California street, except in the form of 
iron work of the frame for the latter, which is of the same kind 
of materials as are used on California street. The cars carry 
the grip instead of having a dummy, as on all the other roads. 

The driving drums are the same as are used on California and 
Sutter street roads. At the junction of Market with Haight and 
also at McAllister streets the Market street cable is dropped, 
and the cable running in Haight and Mc Allister streets is picked 
up, as the car is carried by its momentum around the curves 
into either of these streets, assisted by gravity due to a grade 
modified for the purpose. At the curve on Market and Valencia 
streets an auxiliary cable is used for bringing the cars past the 
ecgine house. This cable is used only on one track coming 
east, the cars going west having to drop the cable and are car¬ 
ried around the curve by gravity. The speed of this cable is 
one-half that of the main cables and it is driven by a grooved 
pulley or sheave on the line shaft which carries all the other 
driving drums. 

The cables on Market, Valencia and Haight streets are driven 
by the same engine, while a separate engine is used for oper¬ 
ating the McAllister street cable. At Haight street, the curve 
from Market street is passed the same as on the Union street road 
at Montgomery avenue and Union street, but at the junction of 
McAllister and Market after dropping the Market street cable, 
the McAllister street cable is picked up before reaching the 
curve, and the grip holds the cable while passing it, the horizon¬ 
tal pulleys around which the cable passes being arranged simi • 
larly to those heretofore referred to at the corner of Post and 
Polk, and Post and Larkin streets on the Sutter street roads. 

At the termini of these roads, the Market, Valencia, Haight 
and McAllister streets, which comprise the Market Street Com¬ 
pany roads, the cars are transferred from one track to the other 
by a turn-table somewhat similar to that used at one end of the 
Geary street road, with this difference: On Geary street the 


18 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 

dummy or car is not turned around, but either end runs fore¬ 
most, so that in changing* the turn-table from the incoming to 
the outgoing track the table is moved through only thirty 
degrees. 

On the Market street cars the grip is placed on the truck at 
one end of the cars so that the car requires to be turned half 
way round at each end of the route. The table in this case has 
to be moved through 180 degrees, and there are two parallel 
tracks across this turn-table, each equidistant from the center, 
the distance between the centers of the tracks being equal to the 
distance between the centers of the main tracks, so that when 
the table has been moved so that a car is in position to go off, 
the other track on the table is in position to receive a car from 
the incoming main line. As these turn-tables are large and 
heavy they are turned by gearing driven by the main cable, 
through a grooved pulley, which being connected with the gear¬ 
ing is brought against the cable with sufficient pressure to give 
the desired power. The cables used by this company are the 
size of the ones used on California street (1J inch in diameter). 

On McAllister street where the road crosses to Fulton street, 
there are four curves of about 45 degrees each, with the hori¬ 
zontal pulleys arranged similarly to those on Post, Polk and 
Larkin streets of the Sutter street road. 

These facts concerning the general features of the various 
roads are incidental to important questions, that of the economy 
in construction, maintenance and operation of the cable system 
of propulsion for street cars. 

In order to direct an intelligent inquiry into the subject, I 
have divided it into three general heads: 

1st.—Construction. 

2d.—Maintenance. 

3d.—Operation. 

Each of these divisions, of course, have many details, but for 
the purpose of this paper I have made them somewhat general. 

Under the head of Construction, I have placed the construc¬ 
tion of : 


Ha7iscom on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


19 


1st.—Road-bed and tube. 

2d.—Driving machinery. 

3d.—Gripping apparatus and cable. 

4th.—Cars. 

Under the division of maintenance I have placed: 

1st.—Road-bed and tube. 

2d.—Driving machinery. 

3d—Gripping apparatus and cable. 

Under the division of operation, I have placed: 

1st.—Power for driving the cable. 

2d.—Power for driving the cars. 

3d.—Power for hauling passengers. 

In the construction of the road-bed and tube, it will be no¬ 
ticed that we have advanced from the first experiment of wood 
and iron to concrete and iron, with stone paving for the sur¬ 
face of the street and with steel for rails. Probably we have gone 
to the extremes in this respect as far as cost is concerned, for we 
have constructed the tube and the road-bed of the most lasting 
materials, with all the strength to support the heaviest traffic 
which will ever be allowed over the streets of any city, the sur¬ 
face being composed of materials which are best known, by ex¬ 
perience and judgment, to resist the wear to which they may be 
exposed; and these materials have been used in a generous man¬ 
ner. The increase in economy will consist in the reduction of 
material to the minimum required to meet local conditions, and 
an exercise of careful judgment in the manner and distribution 
of labor in the combining and placing in position the materials 
of construction. The apparent cost of similar forms of construc¬ 
tion of the road-beds and tubes of the cable roads in this city 
vary so much that it would be delusive to base estimates of the 
cost of a projected road upon the generally reported statements 
concerning the cost of those already built. The conditions to 
be observed for the street surface are that the grades of the street 
shall not be disturbed, or that no protuberances or depressions 
shall be made to interfere with traffic of teams or vehicles, and 
that the strength of the tube shall be sufficient to easily support 


20 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


the heaviest weight which may ordinarily come upon it without 
disturbing its shape. 

In the construction of the driving machinery, some basis for 
consideration may be had by a comparison of the weights of the 
moving machinery for the roads in this city, when they are each 
compared with the weight of the cables which they propel and 
support. It may be taken for granted that the weight of sup¬ 
ports and foundations for the moving machinery will be propor¬ 
tionate to the weight they have to carry. 

The weights of moving machinery include the moving parts of 
the engines, shafts, fly wheels, pulleys, sheaves and gears, in the 
engine house; also, the deflecting sheaves, which change the di¬ 
rection of the moving cable, and the carrier sheaves, which sup¬ 
port the cable in the tube along the street. 

The approximate weights of moving machinery and cables on 
the various roads of San Francisco are as follows : 


Name of Eoad. 

Weight of Ma¬ 
chinery, pounds. 

Weight of Cable, 
pounds. 

Clay. 

22,000 

100,000 

240,000 

60,000 

80,000 

240,000 

100,000 

15,400 

65,000 

68,000 

37,800 

30,500 

164,412 

68,000 

California. 

Sutter.. . 

Geary. 

Union.. 

Market, Valencia and Haight. 

McAllister. 



To compare the weight of moving machinery with the weight 
of cable, let the weight of cable be 1, then the weight of moving 
machinery will show as follows: 


Name of Eoad. 

Weight of Eope. 
=1. 

W’t of Machinery 

Clay. 

1 

1.428 

Market, Valencia and Haight. 

1 

1.459 

McAllister. 

1 

1.47 

California. 

1 

1.538 

Geary. 

1 

1.587 

Union. 

1 

2.622 

Sutter... „.. 

1 

3.529 
































Hanscom on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


21 


These figures are somewhat suggestive. As the cost of ma¬ 
chinery of this character is generally sold in the market by the 
pound, it is comparatively easy to estimate the cost of the driving- 
machinery, and as the cost will be generally in proportion to the 
weight, due consideration should be given to this division of the 
construction account. 

In the construction of the gripping apparatus there are several 
considerations which have much influence on the cost: First, is 
the work which they are required to do; second, the conditions 
under which this work has to be performed; and third, the 
promptness with which they can be manipulated. In referring 
to the first condition, the work which the grip has to per¬ 
form depends to a large extent on the grades over which 
they have to act. Allowing 20 pounds per ton for the friction of 
cars, then a grade of one in one hundred., or one per cent., dou¬ 
bles the strain on the grip. The steepest grade on the roads of 
this city requires as much power to be developed by the engine 
in hauling one train over it as would be required to haul eighteen 
trains on a level. 

While the amount of work put on the grip calls for strength 
and power, the requirements of passengers and care for human 
life necessitate a construction which will admit of prompt action, 
and this is a very important feature in their construction. 

There may be conditions existing under which it would be 
greater economy for the grip to break than to withstand the 
strain to which it is liable to be exposed, but as a general pro¬ 
position it is a fallacy to assume anything of the kind. It is a 
condition of things which should not occur, and will not, with 
competent engineering ability. 

The first consideration is to construct the grip to meet the 
actual requirements as to work, promptness, ordinary wear and 
convenience in handling. 

In the construction of the cable much has yet to be learned. 
The principal condition is that it shall be sufficiently strong, after 
considerable wear, to withstand probable extraordinary strains; 
at the same time it shall not be unduly large, which adds to the 
weight and cost. Having an exterior surface, which is hard, so 
as to withstand the abrasion of the jaws of the grip, yet the 


22 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


flexibility of the cable shall be of such a degree that it will easily 
bend in passing over the sheaves and drums which change its 
direction. 

The greater the diameter of the cable the more friction and 
abrasion, and power required to bend it around the sheaves which 
it passes. Various kinds of cables have been used on these 
roads—both of iron and steel, and large and small—and with 
various degrees of hardness. So far, the crucible steel cable has 
been adopted in preference to any other, possessing hardness 
and strength, with flexibility. It is probable that changes in the 
lay or twist of the strands in making may effect an improvement 
in working. 

In the construction of cars there is at present but little differ¬ 
ence, in general views. Whether a dummy and car should be used 
together, or each car have a grip attached to it, is a question 
which will be answered differently by different local conditions, 
a prominent condition being all intelligent provisions for the 
safety of passengers in boarding and alighting from. As the 
larger part of accidents on these roads occur by the negligence 
of the injured, all means consistent with convenient access to 
and departure from the cars and dummies should be provided 
to prevent accidents. 

In the maintenance of road-bed and tube, the present method 
of uniting concrete and iron leaves not much to be desired, the 
rails and the paving being the only parts that require renewals 
during many years. The rails and slot irons should be so put 
down that they may be taken up and renewed without detriment 
to the tube or unnecessary disturbance of the materials of which 
the tube is constructed. 

Concerning driving gear and the moving machinery connected 
with the cable, the engines which may be used are so well known 
that any style, kind, or power may be obtained to meet any con¬ 
dition which would arke under local circumstances. In the va¬ 
rious arrangements for carrying and deflecting the cables we 
have some differences in detail, but in plan all are similar. This 
is a matter that has not received the consideration that its im¬ 
portance demands. As a large portion of the power expended 
is exhausted in wearing out the driving machinery and carrying 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


23 


and deflecting sheaves, these should have careful study that they 
may do the work assigned them with the greatest economy of 
wear and friction. 

The first table shows the comparative weights of driving 
and carrying machinery and the cables which they carry. For 
the maintenance the cost may not always be in proportion to 
the weight, but the more weighty it is made the more is the 
wear and the more attendance and lubrication is required, as well 
us the increased cost of construction. 

The third division under maintenance is the gripping appara¬ 
tus and cables. These are mutually dependent one on the other. 
In the grip the wear comes on the jaws which clasp the cable, 
and these are now made removable, so that they can be made of 
the least possible weight and easily renewed, they being com¬ 
posed of soft cast-iron, that having with the experience so far 
proved the most economical of any material yet used. As the 
contact or connection between the grip and rope is entirely one 
of friction, it becomes a question of how great an abrasion or 
wear of the jaws of the grip can be allowed in saving the wear of 
the cable without costing more than the wear of the latter. 
When cables are newly laid they cause a much more rapid wear 
of the jaws of the grip than after they have been in use some 
time. The cause is that when new the exterior wires composing 
the cable are comparatively sharp cutting edges, but they are 
gradually worn down or flattened by the action of the grip jaws 
upon them, and, in addition, a coating of tar is put on the cable, 
which fills up the interstices, and by frequent applications the 
surface of the cable becomes so smooth as to resemble a bar of 
iron in passing rapidly along. This condition reduces the wear 
of the jaws and their life is increased from 200 to 400 per cent., 
and even more. There are two advantages in this filling of the 
cable with tar, one of which is to lubricate the cable to a certain 
extent, so that when taking hold to start a train the slip of the 
cable through the grip causes the train to start more gently and 
at the same time the wear on both grip jaws and cable. The tar 
alone on the cable would not effect this purpose, but by the ad¬ 
dition of a small quantity of oil the surface of the tar is prevent¬ 
ed from adhering to the grip or to the sheaves over which it 


24 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


passes. The maintenance of the cable is one of the great ex¬ 
penses in the operation of cable roads, or rather it has been, 
from several causes, first of which is the excessive wear or action 
upon it by the jaws of the grip, especially when a road is first 
built and new men have to learn the road and get experience in 
the handling of the grip in starting and stopping. Whatever 
kind of cable may be used the abrasion maj r be increased very 
largely by this action of the grip, and the experience with cables 
in this city has demonstrated that the life of a cable may be 
doubled nearly by the manner of applying the grip to the rope. 

Another cause is the construction of the grip for relieving the 
cable from frictional contact when the car or train is standing 
still and the cable allowed to pass through the grip. The grips 
are usually so constructed that the cable is supported and guided 
by grooved rolls when the jaws are loosened, the rolls keeping 
the cable from coming in contact with the jaws. Some of them, 
those called “side” grips, support the cable by rolls under the 
cable, the jaws having a vertical movement. 

The rolls being stationary, so far as vertical movement is con¬ 
cerned, when it is desired to start the car, the upper jaw is forced 
downward on to the lower jaw. In < ne grip in use in this city, 
the upper jaw extends over the friction rolls, so that the cable is 
forced against the rolls, and the lower jaw being shorter than the 
upper in this case, the lower jaw has to be at such a hight that 
the cable will be compressed between it and the upper jaw as 
well as between the upper jaw and the friction rolls, so that the 
cable must lie partially on the lower jaw, whether compressed or 
when moving freely through the grip. Another grip, the rolls 
are placed so far apart that both upper and lower jaws are consid¬ 
erably shorter than the distance between the friction rolls, and 
the upper jaw in being forced down on to the lower jaw, carries 
the cable with it, and when raised, the cable travels entirely on 
the rolls, being free from the lower jaw. In the grip in use on 
the Geary street road, the grip opens at the bottom, and not 
having any friction rolls, the cable lies and moves on the jaws of 
the grip when the cars are standing still. On roads where fre¬ 
quent stops are made, the wear of the cable increases. Other 
things being equal, the wear of the cable will be in proportion 
to the number of stops made, and its life inversely. 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


25 


So far, the greatest factor in the destruction of the cable is the 
grip, and experience shows that skill in operating it adds 
to the life, and consequently economy of maintenance of the ca¬ 
ble. The length of the jaw, which embraces the cable, is not 
known yet to affect the life much, but it seems that a jaw having 
a length of 8 to 10 diameters of the cable, is sufficient to prevent 
any pressure from bruising the cable, and yet will hold any load 
that has yet been taken up the steepest grades in this city. 
The practical requirements for economy of maintenance of cable, 
are that the grip shall be so constructed that friction rolls shall 
support the cable free from the jaws when it is passing through 
them, and the frictional contact shall be between the jaws en¬ 
tirely when propelling a car; that the operator of the grip shall 
be a man of intelligence, who can apply the grip to start the car 
quietly, and have the least amount of slip of the cable through 
the jaws. It does not follow that the one who starts the car the 
easiest or most gently, will wear out the jaws the soonest. Ex¬ 
perience has proved the contrary. Lastly, continuous care of 
the cable, in keeping it well filled with tar and properly oiled. 

"Under the head of operation, I have placed the power required 
to propel—1st, the cable; 2d, the cars; and 3d, the passengers. 
In order that a comparison may be made, I have taken indicator 
diagrams from the roads in San Francisco, and the table here¬ 
with shows the amount required for driving the cable alone—I 
mean by this, without any cars being on the road; but included 
is the friction of the engines and driving machinery; also the 
friction of the carrying and deflecting sheaves, as well as the 
power consumed in bending the cable around the sheaves. I 
have not attempted to segregate the power required for driving 
the cable from that required to move the engines and driving ma¬ 
chinery without the cable on, because all this power is in con¬ 
stant use, is a constant expense, and the fuel expense for driving 
a certain amount of cable at a certain speed, depends upon the 
ability of the constructing engineer to design, and a proper di¬ 
rection of the labor having the care of it when in operation. For 
the purposes of this paper, I have reduced the work done on the 
various roads, to the number of pounds of cable moved one mile 
per hour with one horse power. 


26 


Hanscom on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


Clay. 

Sutter, estimate. 
Geary, estimate 

California. 

Union. 

Market. 

McAllister. 



22.6 

83.6 

58.0 

84.0 

39.0 

201.0 

60.0 


4,084 

4,538 

4,538 

4,743 

4,788 

6,221 

9,066 


1.00 
.90 
.90 
.861 
.852 
. 656 
.45 


In this table the power for moving the cables of the Sutter 
Street and Geary are estimated by taking the average of the 
work done on the Clay, California and Union Street roads. 


For the power to haul the cars I have allowed 20 pounds per 
ton at all speeds. This would give for the various roads an ap¬ 
proximate power for each train, consisting of dummy and car, 
and on Market and McAllister, for the car alone: 


Name of Koad. 

W’t of Car 
& Dummy. 

Horse Power 
for ea. Car. 

Average 
No. of 
Cars. 

Total Aver’ge 

Power for 
Cars. 

Clay. 

4,900 

.08 

7 

5.60 

Sutter. 

7,500 

1.50 

18 

27.00 

California. 

8,600 

1.40 

14 

19.60 

Geary.. 

8,400 

1.94 

19 

36.86 

Union. 

8,600 

1.42 

10 

14.20 

Market and Haight. 

9,600 

2.07 

44 

91.00 

McAllister. 

9,600 

2.07 

18 

37.00 


The following table gives the approximate average speed of 
each road, the average distance that passengers are carried, the 
total number running hours each day, and the average horse 
power required to haul 1,000 passengers on each road: 











































Hanscom on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


27 


Name of Road. 

1 

Average j 
speed, i 

Average distance 
that passengers 
are carried. 
Miles. 

Total hours 
running time 
each day. 

Average power 
for each 1000 pas¬ 
sengers carried. 
Horse Power. 

Clay. 

6 

* 

171 

.0971 

Sutter. 

7* 

H 

m 

.261 

California . 

6 

1 

19" 

.178 

Geary. 

7| 

1 

19 

.177 

Union. 

6 

1 


.194 

Market. 

8 


204 

.412 

McAllister. .. 

8 

1 

204 

.163 


This table shows that the power required to convey passengers 
by themselves is a small factor of the total power required in 
operating cable roads. It is assumed here that the average dis¬ 
tance which each passenger is carried will be about half the 
length of the road. 


The following table will give the total daily average power for 
operating the cable roads in this city, and also the per cent, of 
power required for moving cable, for moving cars, and (assuming 
numbers) for moving passengers: 


Name of Road. 

Total 

Power 

For Cable. 

For Cars. 

^ForPasseng’s 

Number 

of 

Passengers. 

Power Per ct. 

Power 

Per ct. 

Power 

Per ct. 

Clay. . 

28.56 

22.6 

79.0 

5.60 

19.0 

.36 

2.0 

4,000 

Sutter (estimated) 

114.60 

83.6 

72.9 

27.00 

23.5 

4.00 

3.6 

15,000 

California. 

105.02 

84.0 

80.0 

19.60 

18.6 

1.42 

1.4 

8,000 

Geary. 

96.63 

58.0 

60.0 

36.86 

38.0 

1.77 

2.0 

10,000 

Union. 

54.55 

39.0 

70.0 

14.20 

26.0 

1.35 

4.0 

7,000 

Market. 

301.00 

201.0 

66.7 

91.00 

30.6 

9.06 

2.7 

22,000 

McAllister. .. 

98.30 

60.0 

61 0 

37.00 

37.6 

1.30 

1.4 

8,000 


798.66 

548.2 

68.0 

231.26 

28.0 

19.26 

4.0 

74,000 


These results are the average percentages for estimated average 
number of cars and passengers. The following table gives the 
average number of feet of cable for each car, except IVIaiket 






















































28 


Hanscom on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


Street, to which should be added the cars which are switched 
from the McAllister Street road: 


Name of Eoad. 

Number of Cars. 

Feet of Cable. 

Feet of Cable to 
each Car. 

Clay. 

7 

11 non 

1,571 

2,096 

1,844 

1,421 

2,100 

1,472 

1,510 

Sutter.. 

18 

14 

19 

10 

44 

18 

1 1 3 uuu 

37.736 

OK 

California. 

Geary. 

27,000 

non 

Union. 

Market. 

^ i 5 UUU 

McAllister. 

Uu, l U«> 

27,183 


Average. 

130 

18.5 

215,579 

30,797 

12,014 

1,716 


This table shows the average distance apart of cars to be 1,716 
feet for average running, but on holidays and Sundays these dis¬ 
tances have been reduced about 45 per cent., so that cars have 
run 1,000 feet apart, average. I am aware that in some instan¬ 
ces they have run much less distance than this, but at eight miles 
per hour the speed would be 704 feet per minute, or an interval 
of about 1J minute between cars, allowing for stops. Of course, 
if traffic demanded it, this number of cars could be kept on the 
road. That would be one car to each 1,000 feet of rope, and 
taking the totals from table above, there would be added 85 cars; 
and if each car carried the average number of passengers, they 
would be increased 48,000, or 85 per cent., so that 65 per cent, 
would be added to the power required for hauling the cars,which 
would be 231.26-f-150.31=381.57 for cars, and 65 per cent, for 
passengers would be 19.26+12.51=31.77 horse power. Then 
the total power would be— 


For cables . 543 2 

Eorcars .!! 381.57 

For passengers. 3177 


Of which 57 per cent would be for cable. 


39 “ *’ " . “ cars. 

4 “ “ “ “ “ passengers. 


100 




























Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


29 


This is taking the average of all the roads, but if we take the 
road which has the least per cent, of power expended in moving 
the cable, the Geary Street, and add cars so that they may be 
only 1,000 feet apart, we shall have 8 more cars—an increase of 
42 per cent, and also an increase of 42 in the total power for 
hauling cars and passengers, thus: 

For moving cable. . 58. H. P. 

For moving cars. 52.34 “ 

For moving passengers. 2.84 “ 

Total H. P.113.18 

Of which 51 per cent, would be for moving cable. 

46 “ “ “ “ “ cars, 

and 3 “ “ “ •* “ “ passengers. 

100 

This is within the capacity of the road as it in this case as¬ 
sumed, carried 14,200 passengers; while it has actually many 
times carried from 20,000 to 22,000 passengers in one day. 

Therefore we may conclude that it is practicable to utilize 50 
per cent, of the total power expended in moving the cars and 
passengers. That this is much within bounds will be admitted 
when it is seen that the comparative power expended in moving 
the Geary Street cable is .90, and that of McAllister Street is 
only .45, or one half. 

There is one other point which I will refer to, and that is the 
comparative power required over grades or level roads. While 
the average will remain about the same, the fluctuations will be 
much greater and the consequent maximum strain on the cable 
will be greater over grades, and this variation of work calls for 
an engine that will keep a uniform speed under more severe con¬ 
ditions than usually obtain even in rolling mills, for if the speed 
of the engine in the mills varies somewhat human comfort is not 
affected by it; but in cars moved by cable, any variation in the 
speed of the engine may be easily detected by the surging move¬ 
ment which is given to the car. There is no difficulty in provid¬ 
ing engines that will run at a uniform speed under all the changes 
or variation of work that may come upon it. 








30 


Hans com on Cable Railway Propulsion. 


There are other points of importance which might be referred 
to in this paper, but it has already extended beyond the primary 
intention. Our future experience will be guided and aided by 
the past, and the divisions of the subjects which are but little 
understood at present, will become as familiar as household 
words. 














































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